---
dataset_info:
- config_name: default
  features:
  - name: translation_id
    dtype: string
  - name: translation
    dtype: string
  - name: language
    dtype: string
  - name: book_number
    dtype: int32
  - name: book
    dtype: string
  - name: book_abbr
    dtype: string
  - name: chapter
    dtype: int32
  - name: verse
    dtype: string
  - name: verse_number
    dtype: int32
  - name: verse_suffix
    dtype: string
  - name: verse_id
    dtype: string
  - name: text
    dtype: string
  splits:
  - name: train
    num_examples: 23188
  num_rows: 23188
configs:
- config_name: default
  data_files: data/data.parquet
---

# Aleppo Codex (כתר ארם צובא)

## Description

The Aleppo Codex (Keter Aram Tzova) — the oldest and most authoritative manuscript of the Hebrew Bible, dating to approximately 930 CE. It was produced in Tiberias by the scribe Shlomo ben Buya'a, with vocalization added by Aaron ben Moses ben Asher, the most renowned Masorete. The codex represents the pinnacle of the Ben Asher Masoretic tradition.

Despite suffering damage in 1947 (approximately 40% of the manuscript was lost), the surviving portions are considered the most accurate witness to the Ben Asher text. It is the only surviving manuscript that ben Asher himself vocalized and annotated.

**Important:** This text is **consonants only** — without vocalization (niqqud) or cantillation marks (te'amim). The surviving Aleppo Codex pages cover only part of the Tanakh, but the electronic transcription (from Mechon Mamre) fills in the missing sections from other Masoretic manuscripts to create a complete Old Testament text.

**Source:** The electronic edition at [Mechon Mamre](http://www.mechon-mamre.org/), a digital transcription of the Aleppo Codex.

**License:** Public Domain.

## Dataset Structure

Each row represents one Bible verse.

| Column | Type | Description |
|--------|------|-------------|
| `translation_id` | string | Translation identifier: `aleppo_codex_he` |
| `translation` | string | Full translation name |
| `language` | string | Language code: `he` |
| `book_number` | int32 | Book number (1-39 for Old Testament) |
| `book` | string | Book name (English) |
| `book_abbr` | string | Book abbreviation |
| `chapter` | int32 | Chapter number |
| `verse` | string | Verse number |
| `verse_number` | int32 | Numeric part of verse |
| `verse_suffix` | string | Verse suffix or null |
| `verse_id` | string | Unique verse identifier (`{book_abbr}_{chapter}_{verse}`) |
| `text` | string | Verse text in Hebrew script (consonants only, no niqqud) |

## Statistics

- **Books:** 39 (complete Old Testament / Tanakh)
- **Verses:** 23,188
- **Language:** Biblical Hebrew (hbo)
- **Format:** Parquet (ZSTD compressed)
- **File size:** 0.92 MB

## Usage

```python
from datasets import load_dataset

dataset = load_dataset("k-mktr/aleppo_codex_he", split="train")
print(dataset[0])
# {'translation_id': 'aleppo_codex_he', 'book': 'Genesis', 'chapter': 1, 'verse': '1', 'text': 'בראשית ברא אלהים את השמים ואת הארץ'}
```

## License

Public Domain.

## Notes

- This is a **consonantal text** (no vowel points or cantillation marks).
- For a fully vocalized Hebrew Old Testament, see `k-mktr/westminster_leningrad_codex_he` or `k-mktr/hebrew_masoretic_ot_hbo`.
- Verse count differs slightly from the fully vocalized versions due to differing verse division conventions between the Ben Asher tradition and the Leningrad Codex.